When does a place feel like home?
I've been in Costa Rica for almost five months. I'll be leaving Sunday, July 18th.
After living here for this long, Costa Rica feels like home. I know which coffee shops I like. When I go in, they know me and know what I want.
I know which vendors I like at the farmers' market. I know which barber in town I like. I know where almost everything is in my favorite grocery store.
I even know the names of most of the dogs I pass on my morning walk up the mountain.
What else would it take for a place to feel like home?
I'm sure when I get back to my motorhome and get back in my North Carolina mountains, it will soon feel like I'm home also. It won't take several months for me to settle in and feel like I'm home. I already know most of the things I've described above.
I'm sure I'll have to re-learn the names of some of the dogs
Like the dog at the top of this page, I'm sure some of the dogs I pass will give me looks that will make me wonder what they're thinking.
Are they thinking, where did you go? I didn't think you were coming back. Why didn't you take me with you?
I know there will be some new dogs (and people), and some dogs may no longer be there. The world won't be exactly as I left it.
The famous author Thomas Wolfe said, "You Can't Go Home Again."
That's the title of one of his books. I think he said this because the things you left and remembered will no longer be there. At least, not the way you remember them.
If you go back to somewhere you've been before, don't go expecting things to be as you remember them. Go back expecting new adventurers and new experiences.
Maybe a few of the things and people you remember will still be there, but probably not as many you would like. Go back expecting a new adventure.
Bottom line: The words in the late Ralph Stanley's song, Rank Stranger explain why you can't go back. You can hear him (joined by his son) singing this song at the link below.